USPTO reissues composition of matter patent for Poniard Pharmaceuticals' picoplatin

Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, today announced that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted and will reissue the composition of matter patent for picoplatin as RE41209, replacing USPN 5,665,771 ('771 patent), on April 6, 2010. The reissue was applied for May 8, 2009, and, on March 17, 2010, the USPTO released the "Issue Notification" for the reissue application. The reissue patent includes additional claims specific to the picoplatin compound, its use in the treatment of any cancer, as well as to its pharmaceutical composition and oral dosage form.

"We view the reissue of the composition of matter patent for picoplatin as a highly successful outcome. Picoplatin's patent estate plays a key role in our ongoing evaluation of strategic opportunities, including potential partnerships," stated Ronald A. Martell, chief executive officer of Poniard Pharmaceuticals. "This patent reissue strengthens the intellectual property estate around picoplatin, enhancing its value proposition as a development candidate in a number of cancers, both in its oral and intravenous forms." 

The reissue patent will have the same force and effect as the original '771 patent and the same February 2016 expiration date, including the potential for up to a five-year patent extension until 2021 under the Hatch-Waxman Act.

SOURCE Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc.